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Non-Tech : CompUSA (CPU) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Michael who wrote (3022)	11/3/1999 5:30:00 PM
From: Rono	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3187

November 3, 1999 Dow Jones Newswires CompUSA Sees No Effect From NEC's Laptop Restructuring By EVAN RAMSTAD DALLAS -- Executives at CompUSA Inc. (CPU) say the decision by NEC Corp. (NIPNY) to withdraw Packard Bell and NEC computers from retailers will have little effect on its sales. The nation's largest computer superstore chain six months ago stopped ordering Packard Bell-branded PCs from NEC. The chain still carries several models of NEC-branded PCs, but doesn't currently have a large inventory of them, said Larry Mondry, CompUSA executive vice president, merchandising. CompUSA earlier this year also stopped selling desktop PCs made by IBM Corp. (IBM) and wasn't affected by that company's decision last month to withdraw those products from retailers, Mondry said. He said CompUSA will offer more models of its own brand of PCs, along with those from Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL), Compaq Computer Corp. (CPQ), Hewlett-Packard Co. (HWP) and Sony Corp. (SNE), if executives decide there are gaps in the overall product mix. "Our customer is not going to say, 'There's nothing available in the speeds and feeds I want'," Mondry said. He made the comments at the company's annual meeting Wednesday morning. NEC Tuesday announced a radical restructuring of its U.S.-based Packard Bell NEC unit. In the overhaul, the Packard Bell brand will disappear and NEC PCs will be aimed at corporate customers. Meanwhile, at the CompUSA meeting, shareholders asked questions about the retailer's own restructuring. CompUSA's stock has languished in the $5 to $9 range for most of the year, trading most recently at 5 11/16, down 1/16, or 1.1%, far below its trading range of the past three years. Chief Executive Jim Halpin said the company aims to return to profitability within the next 12 months and told shareholders he believes Wall Street investors want to see earnings. When a shareholder asked what should happen if CompUSA's stock remains in the same position a year from now, Halpin said, "The company should fire me. If this management team can't get this company turned around, it's up to the board of directors to get a new management team." -By Evan Ramstad, 201-938-5099